Chas

Well I thought I'd be picking a few of these up upon their initial release as well - I think I may have even said so ( Yep I did!), But I've since cooled on that idea. As I took a step back from all the whoop-la over the first kit releases of these designs, I realized that there are a lot of other kits out there that I'd rather build ( judging from the prototypes, the fact that it is a transformable model, and my experience with some of Bandai's kits). I mean if it turns out that these kits are not what I'd hoped they would be - so be it-. I don't have to buy them. Chances are that, unless they are a complete flop - in which case I probably wouldn't want one -, they will be produced in sufficient numbers so as to be readily available should I at some point ( after reading reviews, viewing finished (modified) kits etc.) choose to get one or two of them. Otherwise I am perfectly happy waiting for a kit of the VF-25 that I actually want. I guess I realized that just because it's the only game in town doesn't mean that I HAVE to buy it. It's still early in the life of Macross F and I'm willing to bet that there will be kits made, at some point that I will passionately want and to tell you the truth I'm o.k. with waiting untill that happens before I buy a kit of the 25. Like I said, there are plenty of other kits out there that I'd rather build (again based on what I've seen so far).

I can't believe I didn't see this before now! I was just looking at Save's pics from Shizuoka and I realized that there are two VF-25's shown in the pics. The one that's painted is Alto's and the unpainted one is I believe Ozma's. Check it out. (O.K. did like everyone else notice this except me? that would make me kinda feel stupid)

My take on it is that simply using CAD models isn't enough. "Anime Magic" is about more than just proportion and distortion. There can be Anime Magic Even though there is a CAD model. This is because when you try to bring that model into material reality you are hit with the laws of Physics as they relate to the design of the item and the materials you are using. Simply put it doesn't much matter if in the CAD model of the design can transform without any 'cheating' if in reality the material you are using can't handle the stresses involved without bending, breaking, warping or failing in some other way. I think what's happened here is a case where in order for this thing to transform it requires some parts be 'thicker' than they appear in the CAD model in order to handle the bending/folding/twisting involved with transformation. Oh and for the record I don't think the above comparison of the line art and the model is a fair one. That lineart image is in extreme perspective and so being is, in my view, extremely distorted by foreshortening (to use an artisits term) and thus I don't think it is fair to compare the model to it unless the model is shown in the identical perspectival extreme. (Just my two cents).

Well it seems to me that if you can only get one then the question is which of the mecha is dearest to your heart? That, I think, is what is important here. Perhaps come up with a list of your three favourite Macross fighters (so you have some options) and go from there. (Perhaps the experts here could then guide you if, say your number two choice has notorious problems, or something.) As for what's available, well it looks like what you're after is a good transforming toy and, while I'm more of a model guy (the kid you build for yourself) and don't actually own any of the toys, I would say that from what I've been exposed to on these boards you probably want a Yamato. That being said, the availability of the particular mecha you want may varry. As for the size although the 1/48's are bigger there are certain things (like the hands) that some consider drawbacks. From what I've been reading the new perfect transforming 1/60 line from Yamato, while smaller than the 1/48's are more accurate and I believe they promise to be less expensive over all as well. Anyway I'll stop here and let the toy experts guide you from here on out. Good luck.

Hey Rockhound Don't you ever take a break? you're gonna burn yourself out man! Ha HA J/K Anyway this is cut from my last post in your old gerwalk thread As for the arms I just checked on one of my gerwalk conversions and there's no problem getting the bicep horizontal, but in order to get them angled up the way they are in the pic you're gonna have to do some coaxing. (probably the kind where you use a razor saw if ya get my meaning ) Anyway good luck.

No. As of this moment the only Macross frontier model kits that have been officialy anounced are the perfect transformation 1:72nd scale VF-25, and a 1:72nd scale Vajra Alien Space Lobster Living Weapon Thingy (and yes that is the oficial name ) Actually I don't know if the Vajra Lobster we saw with the VF-25 is a model or toy. But that's it. Any talk of a non-transforming kit from Bandai is, at this point, nothing more that wishful thinking from a few well intentioned, if not slightly deluded fans.

Wow. Well that is disappointing news. I may have to wait for some reviews of these kits before I pick any up.

Really? have they used ABS in any other kits recently? If they do that it would make any customs that require glue a whole hell of a lot more difficult. ABS glue can be difficult to work with. As far as panel and rivet details go since it is a transforming kit I can sort of understand why they are not there, I mean check out those crazy panel breaks around the shoulder area when in fighter mode! Where the hell would you put rivets? they'd look pretty odd if they were there - going in all sorts of directions. I must admit though, I'm not a big fan of transforming model kits. (at least none I've encountered so far)They just don't hold up over time. You wanna talk about weak joints! I've found that they are much sturdier, pose better and I am much happier building them as static mode models. So that means Bandai will probably get three times the amount of money from me - cus I will have to pick some of these up ^_^

No that wasn't me. I do know the one you are talking about though It was an amazing thing to see, but Ithought the legs and shoulders were a bit on the thin side. Do keep in mind that if you include the Battriod "knee" parts the bottom part of the leg will not fold forward far enough for the position you want. If you want the leg to fold forward far enough for the "feet" to be parallel to and in front of the cockpit you will either have to leave out the "knee" parts or cut some extra clearance for them in the bottom section of the leg.

In case you hven't seen it yet this may provide you with some help in planning you conversion. sorry can't help with the screen caps. My Hase. Gerwalk Step-by-step.

I'm with ya on that one. The more VF-1 kits they make the longer the kits will be available after they stop. I can always get the decals I want from folks who specialize in that dept. I just never want these kits to be unavailable, so they can keep putting out VF-1 kits with different markings and I'll keep buying them.

As I think more about it I'm leaning more and more toward staying true to the source material. Although I like the look of the boosters and all they just don't make sense in this scene ( which is probably why they weren't there in the first place!) - Our intrepid duo are within the planet's atmosphere so they will need the tail rudders to maneuver and the booster packs are meant for use in space. I think I'll add them to my spares box and get another VT-1 kit to build up in fighter mode with the boosters. Now I just gotta get some more ref. material. Anyone know if there are any production drawings for this scene in existence? I've looked through my copy of TIA #11 without any luck. The only other place I can think of where there might be a sketch or two is the Gold Book but alas I don't own a copy. Could someone who does have a copy take a look through and let me know please? If there isn't any I guess I'l just have to use Screen Caps.

I've recently started planning some ideas for builds this summer ( When I finally finish School!). This is after a suggestion from my wife that planning out what I wanted to build this summer might be a good idea - much like her book lists for summer reading. Well I got to thinking and I remembered my Hase, VT-1 kit and how much I like the look of the fighter mode of the design. Then I remembered - I think it was SDF-1- who posted in my gerwalk thread that he really wanted to see a gerwalk of the VT-1. This somehow melded with my recent desire to do a dio and I came up with the idea of trying to build a dio of the scene in DYRL when Hikki. and Misa are stranded on earth and they are sheltering from a storm in a tent which is suspended from their VT-1 in Gerwalk mode. Here's a pic of what I'm talking about. So I have two questions. 1. To anyone who has the Gold Book - is there any production art of this scene in there? If so could you please post some images?( also for anyone who has ANY pre-production/design sketches for this scene from any book) 2. I know that the boosters are not present on the VT-1 in this scene but I really like the look of the fighter with them on so what do you guys think I should do stay faithful to the film or go with my gut? (I know there is the option of going with magnets, but there are two things about that idea that trouble me 1 I've never done it before and not sure how difficult it is & 2. I don't like to handle my kits too much after I build them {for fear of damage etc..} So if you've used magnets on kits to make some parts removable any advice you could give is welcome.) Thanks C.

O.K. so you now realize that I am going to scour through all of my Macross art looking for hi signature and the other artists' names!

Gimme a couple days and I'll post a good scan of the whole thing for you. Can't remember if there is any text with it though. It's from T.I.A. # 11 Macross Do You Remember Love - the yellow DYRL book with Misa and Hikki. on the cover and the fold away poster of Minmay.

great thanks for those pics I didn't have the last two. As for the scans I put up, I don't read Japanese so I can't tell what it says. Besides it's not a quiz, if you can read the names please do! It would be appreciated.

Damn! I really wish I could access that site Anyway here are a couple of quick scans off the back of those Macross Original Illustration sets. So Renato who's work can you identify here?

Cool! I think maybe some scans are in order.

I didn't say anything about 'Japanese' as in the language. I said "Japan only" meaning I thought it was only accessible to people in Japan. Why I thought this was because I get Forbidden You don't have permission to access /index.html on this server. Apache/1.3.33 Server at www.megazone23.org Port 80 when I try to access it and I've encountered that before with sites that were restricted to certain national boundaries. Or at least that is what I surmised the cause to be. Perhaps this was an erroneous conclusion on my part. Renato HEH HEH I've got them both! And I've always wondered who some of the other artists that created these images were. Now I know!

Please do! And throw up some scans while you do It could be like a course in Anime/Manga art appreciation. You could start a new thread.

I'd sure like to get a look at that site but it's Japan only, so I guess not. But thanks anyway.

OMG! I used to have an Iczer one art book back in the 80's (in fact I think it may still be kicking around in a box in my parents basement. I remember seeing it on the shelf back in the 80's and just being wowed by the images (and not just the ones of the naked girls in giant 'female' robots either ) So I guess I've been a fan of his for years now without knowing it! Hunh... just goes to show it never hurts to ask.

You're not the only one. I wonder, do you think it would work to have CG backgrounds and Mecha with hand-drawn characters? I'm thinking here of Manga with photo-realistic backgrounds but Manga styled characters along the lines of the work Ryoichi Ikegami did in Mai.

, Wow! you're telling me! I would have sworn (in fact I pretty much did in my first post) that Mikimoto also did the others. Now that you mention it I can definitely see that. What else has Hirano worked on? I'd be interested to see more of his stuff as these are some of my favourite designs. Oh and thanks for the quick response! But for anyone else out there I'd still love to see some character art - Iknow, I know I'm begging now but I never said I was above begging

O.K. I know (simply from his style) that Mikimoto, Haruhiko did the character designs for this but what is up with the crediting of such. At animenfo.com they show Sonoda Hideki as the character designer (for which part is vague) and over at IMDB they list Toshihiro Hirano as the character designer and Mikimoto, Haruhiko as .... special character designs .... whatever that means. So, again I ask, what gives here? Did Mikimoto, Haruhiko simply design the main characters in part one? but then who's left for the other guy to design? No, really. I mean obviously Mikimoto, Haruhiko designed Shôgo, Yui, Tomomi, Mai and B.D., but to my eye Coco, Eigen, Môrii, Chonbo and the Slimeball -I mean Producer- also look like his work. So what gives here? Could anyone who has a copy of the OVA please check the credits - if you can understand them- and let me know what they say? And of course If you just happened to have been working on the series at the time (before the funding was pulled) and can explain from first hand knowledge by all means do so. Also if there is anyone with Character line art from part I I'd love to see it as I long ago lost any that I once had thanks! (edit it doesn't have to be just line art - paintings and/or other colour illustrations are more than welcome too. )